Many generations undoubtedly remember the TV series Sivi Dom (The Grey Home), written by Gordan Mihić and directed by Darko Bajić, which premiered on JRT back in 1986. Everyone surely remembers the famous melody “Sve što želim u ovom trenutku” (“All I Want at This Moment”), performed by the band Far.
In 12 episodes, the complex relationships of young people on the edge of crime were portrayed, along with their interactions with the educators, revealing their difficult life stories. The scriptwriter spent almost a month in the Reformatory in Kruševac to better prepare the script for the series, which was based on real events and characters from the institution.
The series, which featured a brilliant cast, attracted attention not only because it was a rare example of a prison drama genre in then-Yugoslavia but also due to its extremely dark tone and explicit scenes of violence, some of which were criticized for being aired during prime time.
A special impression was left on the audience by the young actor Zoran Cvijanović, in the role of the psychopathic inmate Šojka, while Žarko Laušević, who played perhaps the most challenging role — Šilja, a character who barely speaks — quickly became a star. Girls across Yugoslavia swooned over him, and boys shaved the right side of their eyebrows, mimicking Laušević’s look in the series. Everyone’s favorite educator was Zeka, portrayed by Dragan Nikolić, while many were wary of Miša Janketić, who played the stern educator Beli.
Many believe that the term “sivi dom” (grey home) entered journalistic terminology and common language as a metaphor for any bleak state institution.
